Generally, as shown in FIG. 1, in an indoor driving range, golf balls, struck by golfers, are collected and supplied to a golf ball conveyor 1 provided on an upper portion of the indoor driving range. Thereafter, the golf balls are supplied to a plurality of tee areas through first ball conveying pipes 2. Golf balls, which have been supplied to each swing section, enter a temporary storage container 3 which has an air blower 3a and a golf ball storage box 3b. When no golf ball is in a tee-up device 4 embedded in the ground after a golfer has struck the previous golf ball, the air blower 3a of the temporary storage container 3 operates. Thus, a golf ball, which has been in the golf ball storage box 3b, is rapidly supplied to the tee-up device 4 through a second ball conveying pipe 6 by the pressure of the air blower 3a. Thereafter, the golf ball is seated onto a rubber tee 5 which is provided at a predetermined position on the tee-up device 4. As such, the golfer can repeatedly practice his/her golf swing.
However, in such a golf ball conveying apparatus, because most indoor driving ranges are small, the first pipe and the temporary storage container may interfere with the swing of a golfer. This makes it difficult for the golfer to concentrate on his/her swing. Furthermore, if a damaged golf ball enters the second ball conveying pipe, the damaged golf ball becomes stuck due to friction between the inner surface of the second ball conveying pipe and a damaged portion of the golf ball. Thus, the second ball conveying pipe is clogged by the damaged golf ball. In particular, because the second ball conveying pipe is embedded in the ground, it is very difficult to remove the damaged golf ball from the second ball conveying pipe.
Typically, a golfball has dimples which are intended to increase the distance that the golfball travels. However, in the conventional golf ball conveying apparatus, while a golf ball rapidly moves along the second ball conveying pipe, the dimples of the golfball wear rapidly due to contact between the golfball and the inner surface of the second ball conveying pipe. Thus, the lifetime of the golf ball is reduced.